Chestnut Cream Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits – Velvety & Autumnal

Chestnuts have a natural, nutty sweetness that this soup balances perfectly with cream and stock. The BIOL aluminum pot heats up quickly and evenly – ideal for soups that need to keep their freshness.

Ingredients

• 400 g pre-cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 700 ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 150 ml cream
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt, white pepper
• 80 g bacon, cut into thin strips (for the bacon bits)
• Fresh thyme for garnish

Preparation

1. Prepare the bacon bits: Fry the bacon strips in a small pan without fat over medium heat until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper.
   
   
2. Sauté the base: Heat the aluminum pot over medium heat and add the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic for 3–4 minutes until translucent, without browning.
   
   
3. Chestnuts & stock: Add the chestnuts and sauté briefly. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
   
   
4. Purée: Purée the soup until creamy using a hand blender. Stir in the cream and bring to a brief boil again. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
   
   
5. Serve: Pour the soup into bowls, scatter the bacon bits on top, swirl in a dash of cream and garnish with fresh thyme.

Tips & Tricks

• Depth through roasting – briefly roasting the chestnuts before adding the liquid adds depth.
• Vegan variation – replace butter with olive oil, cream with coconut milk, and leave out the bacon.
• Freezing – freeze the soup without the cream and add the cream when reheating.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with crusty bread or homemade Dutch-oven bread, as an elegant starter or a light lunch.

Nutritional Values (per serving)

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